Tamalpais (Pai), chef and creator of Bunches & Bunches, was invited to contribute a recipe to Food and Wine for their November feature, Thanksgiving from America’s best artisans.
Her creation was described as such:
“This velvety soup has a wonderful balance of sweetness, spice and tang. The secret ingredient: gingersnap cookies.”
– Food & Wine (November, 2014)
Here is her recipe (which calls for Bunches & Bunches Snaps) for Curried Carrot and Apple Soup:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- 2 pounds carrots, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 1/4 pounds celery root, peeled and chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 7 gingersnap cookies
- 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish
- Chopped mint, for garnish
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
1. ) In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, leek, fennel and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, 9 minutes. Add the carrots, celery root, apple, gingersnaps, curry powder, garlic, ginger and thyme and cook, stirring, until the carrots and celery root soften slightly, 10 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are very tender, 25 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.
2.) Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender with the sour cream and vinegar until smooth. Reheat the soup if necessary and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped mint and cilantro and serve.
MAKE AHEAD: The soup can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently before serving.
Serves 12